Simple At-Home Agility Drills That Keep My Kids Active and Focused
As a parent of active elementary and middle schoolers, I’ve seen how much kids can benefit from sports and movement. But I’ve also seen how expensive and time-consuming it can be to pay for training programs or teams that don’t always deliver results. That’s why I’ve started focusing more on building habits at home—creating short, simple speed and agility sessions that my kids can do right in the yard or driveway. The truth is, no matter how good the trainers are, if my kids aren’t willing to work on their own time, the skills just won’t stick.
The Purpose Behind Our At-Home Training
The goal of training at home isn’t to replace professional coaching, but to reinforce it. When we sign our kids up for teams or training sessions, we want them to actually apply and practice what they’re learning. Short workouts at home mean they aren’t trying to fit their entire growth into one or two weekly sessions. Regular work at home gives them the reps they need to grow more comfortable with moves and increase the impact of those sessions.
At-home sessions also teach them discipline. They’re learning how to take initiative, to work even when no one’s watching, and to feel the pride that comes from steady improvement. Plus, it’s really important that they have something physical when art, reading, and video games are pretty stationary activities.
7 Simple Agility and Speed Training Ideas for Kids at Home
Training at home doesn’t need to be complicated. With just a few tools and a little creativity, you can give your kids a workout that keeps them busy in your house or backyard. Here are some of the activities we use between trainings or team practices.
Note: These are all items similar to what we own, but the links are Amazon Affiliate links. That means I can earn a small amount from any sales made on these links. The recommendations here are based on what has worked best for my family, and some are items I got to try out through the Amazon Vine program.
Bodyweight Strength Training
It’s great to start with bodyweight exercises to build core and leg strength because they are totally free and you don’t need any equipment! Squats, lunges, pushups, and planks are all great options for younger kids. You can do these in short circuits—30 reps (or seconds of work), 15 seconds of rest, repeating each set two or three times. It helps warm up their bodies and builds the muscle they need to stay quick on their feet.
Running Form Exercises
My kids like to race, but I also want them to run well. You can break down running form with simple drills like high knees, butt kicks, A-skips, B-skips, C-skips, and karaokes. As they work on running, have them practice quick arms (that don’t cross the body) and staying light on their feet. My oldest two (ages 10 and 11) just joined a track training development group to help keep their energy high and further reinforcing technique with talented coaches.
Agility Toss Game for Hand-Eye Coordination
One of our favorite games involves tossing a small ball, beanbag, or even a tennis ball while doing footwork or balance drills. For example, my daughter might hop on one foot while I toss the ball back and forth. It improves her hand-eye coordination, body control, and reaction time—and it makes training feel more like play.
Ladder + Cones for Speed
You can use a speed ladder and cones to set up short reaction and sprint drills. I’ll call out patterns, or place cones in different sequences for them to sprint to and backpedal from. Ladder drills like in-in-out-out or sideways shuffles get their feet moving fast, while cone drills like zig-zags and shuttle runs help improve their change of direction and acceleration.
Weighted Ball for Arm Strength and Balance
A small weighted ball is perfect for improving arm drive and balance. You can have them hold the ball while doing knee drives or running in place, keeping their form tight. We also use the ball during crunches or while jumping to strengthen the core and legs. The ball doesn’t need to be heavy (3-5lbs) for it to make a difference after several reps.
Bumping Pads for Going Through Contact
If your child plays a contact sport like soccer, basketball, or football, learning how to absorb and push through contact is important. We use foam bumping pads for this. I might thump an arm or hip while they dribble a ball, sprint, or make a move around cones. It helps them stay strong on their feet and maintain focus even when challenged.
Agility Hurdles for Jumping and Foot Coordination
Agility hurdles are great for quick hops, bounding drills, and building explosive movement. We set them up in rows for them to hop over, side shuffle through, or use in reaction drills. My daughter’s basketball trainer even uses them for the girls to dribble over, gaining more control in their crossover.
Use a Checklist To Encourage Success
One of the simplest things that made a huge impact for us last summer was creating a training checklist. My daughter used to get overwhelmed by the idea of “needing to workout” on her off days without a clear end. Just “go train” often led to frustration or short, unfocused efforts. So I put together three different lists she could pick from, each with about five types of workouts that worked different muscle groups and movement patterns.
Having that checklist gave her a sense of control and clarity. She could choose what to do, mark it off as she went, and actually feel like she had accomplished something when she finished. It took the guesswork out of non-practice days and made the process simple, repeatable, and even a little fun. It also helped her take more ownership of her training and built a rhythm she could stick with without needing a coach or parent right by her side.
